Digital Art

Step into the world where creativity meets technology—where your imagination can run wild and your ideas come to life with the click of a button. Whether you're already comfortable behind the screen or new to digital media, you will learn a variety of digital tools, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate while also experimenting with the capabilities of AI image generators. These tools will empower you to experiment, innovate, and express your artistic voice in ways that are only possible in the digital realm. Whether your focus is illustration, animation, or experimental techniques, this class offers the flexibility to explore a range of artistic expressions while mastering the digital tools of the future.

Prerequisites: Intro to Photography, or Intro to 2D, or by the recommendation from the Visual Art Department Head.

Financial Algebra

Interests: Business, Law, Math, Politics

Ever wondered, "How do I create a budget?" or "What's the secret to mastering debt?" Want to unravel the mysteries of taxes and insurance, and discover the keys to paving your way through college expenses? In this course, you will be using skills you have previously learned in Integrated Math 3 (or Algebra II) to deepen your knowledge on personal finances. Get ready to transform your understanding of money, making it not just about equations but about owning your financial future with confidence!
Students can opt to take this class at the Honors level
Prerequisites: Integrated Math 2 or Algebra 1

Matrices and Linear Algebra

This course focuses on the theory and techniques of linear algebra. Topics include vectors in n-dimensional space, matrix theory, systems of linear equations, vector space theory, linear transformations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and optimization. This course includes economics and computer science applications. 

Students can opt to take this class at the Honors level 

Prerequisites: Integrated Math 2 or Algebra 1

Advanced Digital Art

This course builds off your technical skills and interests in Digital Art. You will enhance your understanding of digital art-making tools while developing your point of view as a digital artist. Researching contemporary digital practices will support your self-directed process and help you explore how to display your work on campus.  Prerequisites: Digital Art and recommendation from the Visual Art Department Head.

Probability and Combinatorics

How likely is an event likely to happen? This is an essential question that is asked by professionals in a host of different fields. Probability helps to quantify a response, often relying on algorithms of combinatorics to count the number of favorable outcomes in a given scenario. Maybe you want to understand the efficacy of a revolutionary cancer treatment better, or think more critically about the P-values that deem a trial successful or unsuccessful. Maybe you are curious about the decision-making of professional poker players, or are interested to explore how meteorologists use this same theoretical math in their daily forecast of the weather. Maybe you see probability in sports, or combinatorics in computer science. Whatever the application is that interests you, here you will develop the advanced algorithms for counting which provide the groundwork for probability theory. In this course, you will develop an understanding of the mathematics that helps to inform the decisions we make every day.  Students can opt to take this class at the Honors level  Prerequisites: Integrated Math 3 or Algebra 2 and Geometry

Socio-Economics of Sports

Sports are everywhere! We love and support our teams. But what role do sports play in society and how do they influence it? Sports teams generate billions of dollars every year, and sports events gather huge crowds in celebration akin to religious rituals. This BVR-X course will look into the workings of different sports; their teams; their business models; their impact on society and how sports have reacted to societal changes and political movements. Part of this class will include meeting with sports experts, athletes, and investors to get an authentic understanding of their perspectives. To connect the theory to its reality, this course will also involve organizing and participating in different sports tournaments, and attending and/or watching some sports games throughout the term to learn more about sports rules and practices. Honors and standard levels

Graphic Design

How does design impact how we think, learn, and interact? In this course we will investigate these questions as we explore how graphic communication is woven into our daily lives. Students will gain insight into a range of graphic design applications such as branding and advertising, illustration, typography, information design, and editorial publication. Working primarily with Adobe Illustrator, students will develop their digital drawing and design skills while establishing a workflow between Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.

Student Directed Project – SDP

A Student-Directed Project empowers students to do an in-depth exploration of a topic of interest throughout the term. The student designs, plans, and leads their research project in collaboration and with the guidance and support of a coach (faculty advisor). It allows students to delve deeper into their passion and to be the designer of their own learning. There is a wide range of Student-Directed Projects; they are multi-disciplinary, non-linear, and most importantly, student-created and led. That’s what makes them so interesting. Here are some examples of past projects:
  • Creating an architectural model using 3D architectural software
  • Through their eyes: Photo and interview series of veterans
  • Robosub electromagnetic linear accelerator
  • Acoustic pinger for Robosub
  • Virtual Reality game for visually-impaired persons
  • Creating a concept album
  • Dispute: Landlord-tenant board game
  • Multimedia journalism: Producing a podcast series
  • Perplex: English and Theater Study
  • Sensors and fiber optics: Building a fiber optic dress
  • Haptic technologies: Force-Feedback Virtual Reality
  • Applications of integrals to analytical continuation of functions

Discrete Mathematics

Interests: Business, Law, Math, Politics, Sports
Discrete Mathematics is concerned with processes and situations that are finite and discontinuous–things that have an end, can be measured, and given a whole-number value. In this course, students will have the chance to learn a range of discrete math topics that fall outside the spectrum of traditional high school mathematics. Existence problems deal with whether or not a solution exists, counting problems explore how many solutions may exist, and optimization problems focus on finding the most favorable solution to a particular problem. Topics covered may include finite sets and partitions, enumeration, probability, expectation, random variables, and elementary number theory, with an emphasis on applications of discrete mathematics.   Students can opt to take this class at the Honors level  Prerequisites: Integrated Math 3 or Algebra 2 and Geometry

Foundations for Algebraic Reasoning

Interests: Business, Engineering, Health

This course is designed for students who have not completed Algebra 1 through quadratics in middle school. Students will build a strong foundation in algebraic reasoning and grapple with real-world applications. Work will focus on solving linear equations and systems and the exploration of exponential and quadratic relationships.

Not offered at the Honors level.

Integrated Math 2: Algebra, Geometry, and Data Science

Integrated Math 2 students expand their algebraic reasoning and understanding of mathematical models including quadratic equations and exponential functions. Students also explore probability and build upon their knowledge of transformations, congruence, and similarity while developing logic skills through conjecture, argument, and proof. Investigations in this course build connections between all topics covered.  Prerequisites: Integrated Math 1, Algebra 1, or Foundations for Algebraic Reasoning. Offered at the Honors and Standard levels. Honors level requires departmental recommendation.

Media and Its Influences

Interests: Business, Film, Law, Media, Politics, Sports
From the printing press to widespread use of social media, the creation of news content has been defined and redefined by the technology of its historical time. Using today’s media landscape, students will examine what qualifies as news, what ethical questions are presented in journalism, and how we are impacted today by those that craft, manipulate, and distribute the message. Students will use different media tools and platforms to question, challenge, and deconstruct media messages and their biases. Students will become better equipped to read the world and understand the news.